Standard video editing platforms provide basic video editing functions, like trimming and resizing, in an easy-to-use UI. Now many platforms are starting to release advanced AI-powered features—such as AI subtitle generators—that make it even easier to edit and publish a video. AI subtitle generators augment videos using state-of-the-art AI models that automatically add highly accurate subtitles to videos prior to publishing.
In this article, we examine AI subtitle generators more closely, including what they are, how they work, pros and cons, and the eight best AI subtitle generators to use in 2024.
What are AI subtitle generators?
AI subtitle generators automatically transcribe any speech (found in audio and video) to text with great accuracy and add these subtitles directly onto the video. This process is especially useful for companies looking to easily meet accessibility and compliance requirements. Adding subtitles also makes videos more searchable for SEO purposes.
Typically, AI subtitle generators follow a multi-step process:
- User uploads a video file.
- AI subtitle generator applies an AI model to auto-generate subtitles.
- User edits the subtitles for accuracy, where necessary.
- User changes the way the subtitles are displayed (style, animation, color, font, etc.).
- User exports the video with hardcoded subtitles.
Most of the AI subtitle generators listed in this article can also detect and transcribe videos across many global languages for even greater reach and accessibility.
How do AI subtitle generators work?
Most AI subtitle generators utilize state-of-the-art AI models for speech recognition to convert speech to text via a simple API. These speech recognition models are trained on large amounts of audio data to automate a previously manual process without sacrificing accuracy.
For example, the Conformer-2 speech recognition model is trained on 1.1 million hours of audio data and approaches human-level performance on real-world audio data.
The AI subtitle generator then takes this data and outputs a transcription text that is displayed as the speaker speaks throughout the video. Under the hood, this generally works by converting the AI model’s output transcript into an SRT or VTT file. As previously mentioned, users can also edit the subtitle text, change the font or size, add animations, or translate the transcription into multiple languages.
Pros and Cons of using an AI subtitle generator
When evaluating whether or not to invest in an AI subtitle generator, there are several pros and cons to consider.
Pros
- Accuracy: While some online video platforms like YouTube now have automatic subtitle generation built-in, the accuracy of such tools lags behind the state-of-the-art offered by top-tier AI subtitle generators. If you want your subtitles to be auto-generated at high accuracy, it’s best to look for a third-party provider.
- Accessibility: Adding subtitles increases accessibility for all viewers, especially since nearly 85% of all viewers watch videos posted to social media platforms without sound.
- Searchability: By subtitling your video, you allow search engines to crawl the text of the video itself, increasing its organic search potential.
- Streamlined Workflow: If you’re already performing post-production edits and enhancements to your video, it’s a simple step to add subtitles through a video editing platform as well.
Cons
- Pricing: Some of the top AI subtitle generators come with a hefty price tag, especially if you are just planning to use the tool solely for adding subtitles to videos.
- Additional features: If you just need subtitles added to a video, you may not want to have to sift through the additional features offered by the platform to find what you need. As noted above, these additional features typically come with a higher price tag as well.
- Time: Adding subtitles through an AI subtitle generator is one additional step you have to take before uploading a video.
8 best AI subtitle generators for 2024
Now that we have examined what AI subtitles are and how they work, let’s dive deeper into the best AI subtitle generators available today.
Veed
Veed is a video editing platform that users can use to add audio, add emojis and stickers, remove backgrounds, remove watermarks, add visual effects, dubb voices, and more.
Veed’s auto subtitle generator automatically generates closed captions and adds them to videos in minutes, and can detect over 100 different languages and accents. The generator also lets users animate the subtitles and add highlights before downloading the subtitled video as a TEXT or SRT file.
Pricing
Users can create videos up to 10 minutes long and complete five minutes of subtitle generation for free. Additional video processing and translation can be purchased starting at $18 a month for the basic plan, $30 a month for the pro plan, and $59 a month for the business plan.
Users can sign up for a free account here.
Headliner
Headliner is another online editing app designed to help creators promote podcasts, create audiograms, and caption videos. With Headliner’s easy-to-use online interface, users can either choose to turn audio content into shareable videos via its audiogram function, or to adjust video clips with its online video editing tools, including captioning a video.
For audiograms, users can input a direct link to a podcast episode, choose a visual template to display, and add subtitles. Like Veed, users can also edit the subtitles themselves and change the way in which they are displayed.
Pricing
Users can get up to five unwatermarked videos per month with up to 10 minutes of transcription. Headliner’s basic plan includes up to 10 unwatermarked videos for $7.99 per month or users can choose to transcribe full episodes of up to 15 hours for $19.99 per month.
Users can sign up for a free account here.
Descript
Descript is an all-in-one podcast and video editing platform that offers features such as transcription, podcasting, screen recording, social clips and templates, overdub, studio sound, filler word removal, eye contact, and subtitles and captions.
Descript’s subtitle and caption feature lets users transcribe podcasts and videos in minutes and then adjust font, color, positioning, background, and more. Transcriptions are offered in 22 languages and speakers can automatically be detected (also referred to as speaker diarization).
Pricing
Users can access up to one hour of transcription per month for free. For $12 per month, this increases to 10 hours and for $24 per month, this increases to 30 hours.
Users interested in trying Descript can sign up for free here.
Kapwing
Kapwing is a video creation platform designed to help teams produce and publish content faster. Kapwing offers a host of AI-powered tools, including text-to-speech, silence removal, AI video generation, document-to-video, background noise removal, AI image generation, and auto-subtitle generation.
With one click, Kapwing’s auto-subtitle generation users can create accurate subtitles for videos. Users can then tailor the look and feel of the subtitle by editing fonts, adjusting backgrounds and opacity, and adding animated effects.
Pricing
Pricing for Kapwing is free for up to 10 minutes per month of added subtitles. Users can unlock unlimited auto-subtitling minutes for $16 per member per month.
Users can sign up to try Kapwing for free here.
SubtitleBee
SubtitleBee is a basic online platform for easily adding captions and subtitles to videos. SubtitleBee recognizes more than 120 languages to auto-generate subtitles, or subtitles can be translated into a different language via a “translate subtitles button.” Users can also change the color, background, and font for subtitles to meet various aesthetic needs.
Pricing
Users can access a free trial version of SubtitleBee for free with limited features. Additional packages start at $12 per month and increase to $60 per month, depending on the features and volume needed.
Users can sign up for SubtitleBee for free here.
Flixier
Flixier is a full-featured online video editing platform that helps users add audio, images, subtitles, and text to videos, as well as to perform video editing functions such as to blur, crop, cut, speed up/down, and more.
Flixier’s subtitle generator tool automatically adds subtitles to videos within minutes. Users then have the option to edit the subtitle text, change the font, alter the subtitle timing, change the display location, and more.
Pricing
Users can expect up to 10 minutes of video per month for free. This increases to 300 minutes of video per month and 60 minutes of subtitles with the $14 pro plan. Additional plans range from $30 to $55 per month.
Users can sign up for a free account here.
Media.io
Media.io is a platform for online video, audio, and image AI tools. With Media.io, users can enhance videos, remove watermarks, remove backgrounds, edit videos, add visual effects, change video color, and more.
Media.io’s auto subtitle generator lets users create subtitles at high accuracy and translate subtitles in up to 90 different languages. Users can also change the font type, size, color, border, opacity, layout, and more.
Pricing
Pricing for Media.io’s AI tools starts at $19.99 per month for access to all AI tools and 120 minutes of subtitles and transcriptions per month. A free trial is offered for three AI tools, though subtitle generation is not supported.
Users can sign up for a free account here.
Vidyo.AI
Vidyo.AI is an AI-based content repurposing and video editing platform with features such as AI captions, content repurposing, video resizing, video clipping, auto video chapters, Alex Hormozi captions, scene change detection, and Grant Cardone captions.
Vidyo.AI's AI caption and subtitle generator can automatically select, edit, and caption top moments from a user's video. Users can also edit the captions based on the platform, format, and template requirements.
Pricing
Users can receive up to 75 minutes of video upload monthly for free. This increases to 150 minutes per month with the $15 starter plan and 300 minutes per month with the $29.99 pro plan.
Users can sign up for a free account here.
How to create subtitles for a video yourself
Even if you have limited coding experience, this video can walk you through how to create video subtitles with just five lines of code using the AssemblyAI Python SDK.
